Display package for watchbands or the like

ABSTRACT

A display package for watchbands and the like in which a base has guide tracks extending along its bottom longitudinal edges for slidably receiving pairs of inwardly extending tabs formed on the lower edges of the sides of a molded transparent plastic cover adjacent the ends thereof to permit the cover to be assembled on the base by sliding it over one end wall thereof to a position at which its end butts against a peripheral flange formed on the other end wall of the base. The base carries watchband end receiving hooks the positions of which may be adjusted along the length of the base to accommodate bands of different lengths.

United States Patent Arnone [151 3,648,831 [451 Mar. 14, 1972 [54] DISPLAY PACKAGE FOR WATCHBANDS OR THE LIKE [72] Inventor: Michael P. Arnone, North Bergen, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Kreisler Manufacturing Corporation,

North Bergen, NJ.

[22] Filed: July 18,1969

21 Appl.No.: 842,874

[52] U.S.CI ..206/45.14,206/45.34,220/41, I 206/75 [51] 1nt.Cl ..B65d 1/34 [58] Field of Search ..206/75,45.34, 45.14; 220/41;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,797,012 6/1957 Buck, Jr ..220/41 X 3,033,355 5/1962 Van Sickle.

732,413 6/1903 Hurd .11229/10 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 395,501 7/1933 GreatBritain ..229/9 556,657 4/1958 Canada ..206/75 Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-John M. Caskie Attorney-Shenier & OConnor 1 57] ABSTRACT A display package for watchbands and the like in which a base has guide tracks extending along its bottom longitudinal edges for slidably receiving pairs of inwardly extending tabs formed on the lower edges of the sides of a molded transparent plastic cover adjacent the ends thereof to permit the cover to be assembled on the base by sliding it over one end wall thereof to a position at which its end butts against a peripheral flange formed on the other end wall of the base. The base carries watchband end receiving hooks the positions of which may be adjusted along the length of the base to accommodate bands of different lengths.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR 14 m2 Sum 1 or 2 3 P; 3 Z5 Z Z4 I2 52 20 60 INVENTOR. fmc/me/ 14/770178 UWMW' H TTORN E YS PATENTEUMAR 14 m2 sum 2 OF 2 I III III III I I I I 1/ ll!!! liq;

TFI 7 INVENTOR.

M/chae/ P Hmone BY 44 TTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various forms of packages are known in the prior art for shipping articles such as watchbands. Some of these packages of the prior art permit the bands to be displayed by swinging open a hinged cover. Others of the boxes may be provided with transparent hinged covers to permit the article to be viewed without opening the cover. While these structures of the prior art accomplish the purposes of packaging the bands and of permitting them to be displayed they are not as attractive as desired. Most of them require some assembly operations in the course of manufacture of the boxes and they are consequently expensive. In addition, these boxes are irregularly shaped so as to require some auxiliary cover such as rectangular cardboard sleeve or the like which is slipped over the box to permit the boxes readily to be shipped and stored.

I have invented an improved display package for articles such as watchbands or the like. My box is simple in construction and is inexpensive to manufacture. It permits the article contained therein to be displayed without removing it from the box. My box is so constructed that it does not require any auxiliary cover or the like to facilitate stacking for shipment and storage. My package, moreover, is so constructed that the cover thereof may be molded as a unitary piece while the effect of mold parting lines on the overall appearance of the package is minimized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of my invention is to provide a display package for watchbands or the like which overcomes the defects of packages of the prior art.

Another object of my invention is to provide a display package for watchbands or the like which permits the article contained therein to be displayed without opening the package.

Another object of my invention is to provide a display package for watchbands or the like which is simple in construction and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a display package for watchbands or the like which does not require any auxiliary cover or the like to permit the packages to be stacked.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a display package for watchbands or the like the cover of which can be molded as a unitary piece while minimizing the effect of mold parting lines on the appearance of the package.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description:

In general my invention contemplates the provision of a dis play package comprising a cover molded of clear plastic having respective pairs of inwardly directed tabs at the bottom edges of the sides of the cover adjacent the edges thereof and adapted to be slid along guide tracks formed along the bottom edges of a base to permit the cover to be assembled on the base by sliding it over one end wall of the base to a position at which it butts against a peripheral flange formed at the other end of the base. The base adjustably carries hooks for receiving the ends of a watchband or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective .view of my display package for watchbands and the like.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the form of my display package for watchbands illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of my display package for watchbands and the like.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of my display package for watchbands and the like.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of my display package for watchbands or the like taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an end elevation of my display package for watchbands taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and drawn on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of my display package for watchbands or the like taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5 and drawn on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the cover of my display package for watchbands or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, my display package for watchbands or the like, indicated generally by the reference character 10 includes a base 12 having end walls 14 and 16. I form recessed respective guide tracks 18 and 20 along the longitudinal edges of the underside of the base 12. Wall 16 is provided with a peripheral flange 22 which acts as a stop for the cover to be described hereinafter.

I form the base 12 with a pair of slots 24 and 26 extending from adjacent the end walls 14 and I6 toward the center of the box. Slots 24 and 26 are provided with respective pairs of flanges 28 and 30 which are received in bodies 32 and 34 having hooks 36 and 38 thus to mount the hooks for sliding movement along the .lengths of the slots 24 and 26. The pairs of flanges 28 and 30 terminate at a short distance from the inner ends of slots 24 and 26 to permit the bodies 32 and 34 to be assembled on the flanges and to be removed from the flanges as desired. As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the hooks 36 and 38 receive the ends of a watchband to hold it in position within the box. They may be moved toward and away from each other to accommodate bands of different lengths.

Preferably I also provide the base 12 with reinforcing flanges 44 and 46 extending along the tops of the sides of the base between the end walls. A raised portion 47 of the base between the end wall 16 and the slot 26 may carry a legend such as the trade name of the manufacturer.

My package includes a cover 48 having sides 50 and 52. I provide the cover 48 with respective pairs of inwardly extending tabs 54 and 56 and 58 and 60 on the bottom edges of walls 50 and 52 adjacent the ends of the covers. As-will be pointed out more fully hereinafter, tabs 54 and 58 ride in track 18 and tabs 56 and 60 ride in track 20 as the cover is assembled on the base. 7

I mold my cover 48 from a suitable transparent plastic such for example as clear polystyrene. Owing to the fact that the cover 48 has, in the regions of the pairs of tabs 54 and 56 and 58 and 60, portions extending along all four sides of a rectangle I must use a sectional mold core in order to make the cover. Such sectional molds normally form parting lines which, in most instances, such as in the manufacture of opaque parts are not undesirable. However, where a transparent part such as the cover 48 is being made, such parting lines are visible through the cover and are highly undesirable. I have so constructed my package that parting lines 62 and 64 are present on the inner surface of the cover 48 only adjacent the ends thereof which are out of the line of vision of a person viewing a watchband or the like within the box. It will be seen, moreover, that I so locate the tabs 54 and 56 and 58 and 60 that the parting lines 62 and 64 register with the inner edges of end walls 14 and 16 so as to be substantially invisible when the package is closed.

In manufacturing my package for watchbands or the like, I mold the cover 48 from a suitable material such as transparent plastic using a three-piece mold providing parting lines 62 and 64 at the location of tabs 54 and 56 and 58 and 60. I may also mold the base 12 from clear plastic to the configuration shown with walls 14 and 16 having inner edges which will register with the parting lines 62 and 64 when the package is assembled. Having molded the base 12, the hook bodies 32 and 34 may be inserted in the openings 40 and 42 and then may be engaged with the pairs of flanges or tracks 28 and 30. The box is now ready to receive an article.

In use of my package I first mount an article such as a watchband or the like on the base 12 by engaging hooks 36 and 38 with the ends of the bands and then moving the hooks apart to stretch the band to its full length. The cover 48 may then be assembled on the base by sliding one end thereof over the end wall 14 while engaging tabs 58 and 60 in tracks 18 and 20. The cover is slid along the length of the base until tabs 54 and 56 ride into tracks 18 and 20 and the other end of the cover butts against flange 22. In this relative position of the parts the cover and base are held in engagement by the frictional force between the two pairs of tabs and the portions of the tracks engaged thereby. Owing to the regular rectangular shape of the box, numbers of them can be stacked and packed without requiring any auxiliary cover. Upon arrival at the retail outlet they can be placed so as to display the article con tained therein without opening the box. The score lines are so located adjacent the ends of the box as to be substantially undetectable. It will be noted also that the cover 48 is reversible in that either end thereof may first be slid over the wall 14.

It will be seen thatl have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a display box or package for watchbands and the like which overcomes the defects of packages of the prior art. It is simple in construction and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. It is attractive in appearance. I so construct my box that mold parting lines are substantially invisible when the box is closed. My package is so shaped as to permit numbers thereof to be stored and shipped without the use of auxiliary coverings.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A display package for a watchband or the like including in combination an elongated base, upstanding end walls on said base formed integrally therewith, respective recessed exterior tracks along the longitudinal edges of the bottom of said base, a cover formed of transparent synthetic resin, sides formed integrally with said cover, and respective pairs of inwardly extending tabs of limited longitudinal extent on the bottom edges of the sides of said cover adjacent the ends thereof, said pairs of tabs being longitudinally spaced by a distance approximately equal to the distance between said end walls, said cover and said sides having mold parting lines therein at the inner edges of said tabs, said cover being adapted to be slid over one end wall of said base to move said tabs into frictional engagement with said tracks to hold said cover on said base, the longitudinal extent of said tabs with relation to the thickness of said end walls being such that the tabs register with the end walls with said cover assembled on said base to conceal said mold-parting lines in said cover and sides at the inner edges of said tabs.

2. A display package as in claim 1 including means for limiting the sliding movement of said cover relative to said base in one direction.

3. A display package as in claim 1 including a peripheral flange on the other end wall of said base for engagement by an end of said cover.

4. A display package as in claim 1 including means for mounting a watchband or the like on said base.

5. A display package as in claim 1 including adjustable means for mounting a watchband or the like on said base.

6. A display package as in claim 1 including a slot extending longitudinally of said base, flanges extending along the edges of said slot to a location spaced from an end of said slot, a hook body having grooves for receiving said flanges, said body being adapted to pass through said slot between the slot end and the ends of said flange to bring said grooves into engagement with said flanges.

7. A display package as in claim 1 in which said package has a generally rectangular gonfigu rati on. 

1. A display package for a watchband or the like including in combination an elongated base, upstanding end walls on said base formed integrally therewith, respective recessed exterior tracks along the longitudinal edges of the bottom of said base, a cover formed of transparent synthetic resin, sides formed integrally with said cover, and respective pairs of inwardly extending tabs of limited longitudinal extent on the bottom edges of the sides of said cover adjacent the ends thereof, said pairs of tabs being longitudinally spaced by a distance approximately equal to the distance between said end walls, said cover and said sides having mold paRting lines therein at the inner edges of said tabs, said cover being adapted to be slid over one end wall of said base to move said tabs into frictional engagement with said tracks to hold said cover on said base, the longitudinal extent of said tabs with relation to the thickness of said end walls being such that the tabs register with the end walls with said cover assembled on said base to conceal said mold-parting lines in said cover and sides at the inner edges of said tabs.
 2. A display package as in claim 1 including means for limiting the sliding movement of said cover relative to said base in one direction.
 3. A display package as in claim 1 including a peripheral flange on the other end wall of said base for engagement by an end of said cover.
 4. A display package as in claim 1 including means for mounting a watchband or the like on said base.
 5. A display package as in claim 1 including adjustable means for mounting a watchband or the like on said base.
 6. A display package as in claim 1 including a slot extending longitudinally of said base, flanges extending along the edges of said slot to a location spaced from an end of said slot, a hook body having grooves for receiving said flanges, said body being adapted to pass through said slot between the slot end and the ends of said flange to bring said grooves into engagement with said flanges.
 7. A display package as in claim 1 in which said package has a generally rectangular configuration. 